Broadcast Delivery: A North American Runbook for Post Houses
Delivery begins with the destination specification and traffic order. Master, slate, captions, metadata and QC record to that destination's requirements. Files fail validation when their wrapper, timing, captions method or audio layout aren't compatible with the receiving workflow, even if they are technically perfect.
Key Takeaways
- Consider your destination's written specification and traffic order the authorities for every delivery scenario.
- Extreme Reach's MXF OP1a with XDCAM HD 422 is listed as the preferred HD package on their North American portal, but that's only true for their portal, not every broadcast facility in North America. 1
- The FCC CALM Act rules governing television commercials do not apply to radio, internet or streamed ads within the United States. 2
- Allow enough time to validate the final encoded file, captions, metadata and upload record prior to your deadline.
Table of Contents
- Start with the delivery destination
- Build the picture master to the requested profile
- Lay out the slate and active content frame by frame
- Measure loudness, true peak, and channel order
- Treat captions as a separate QC pass
- Run the final broadcast delivery checklist
- Fix the failed layer, not the whole master
- Plan delivery before production begins
- Sources
- FAQ
Start with the delivery destination
Confirm the most current destination specification before creating the delivery master. First determine if the file is destined for a network, station group, commercial delivery portal, VOD service or streaming platform. The destination will define the accepted wrapper, codec, frame rate, audio layout, caption method, metadata, file naming, timing and upload path.
MXF OP1a is a container and operational pattern. XDCAM HD 422 is a video codec profile carried within it. They are not synonyms. The Advanced Media Workflow Association calls AS-11 a family of constrained, MXF-based formats for the delivery of finished media assets to a broadcaster or publisher. Use an AS-11 profile only when the recipient calls for it. 3
| Priority | Document | What it should decide |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recipient's current specification and traffic order | File profile, active duration, slate, captions, audio, metadata, filename, and upload route |
| 2 | Distributor or delivery-portal instructions | Accepted formats, validation rules, required fields, and transfer process |
| 3 | Network or campaign standards-and-practices direction | Clearance, copy, and editorial requirements when supplied |
| 4 | Internal delivery template | A starting point only, updated for the current job |
Put as much info as possible in the production brief before picture lock including intended delivery destination, durations, frame rate, need for captions, audio layout, due date, traffic contact, and final approver.
Build a delivery packet before the final export
Then gather the specification from the destination, a traffic order, approved Ad-ID or delivery code, duration, whether captions are needed, audio layout, and what the person wants to name the version. Ask questions if a piece of information is missing. Just because you know how to export to a program doesn't mean your instinctive export preset is what they need. Get a confirmed instruction.
Build the picture master to the requested profile
Find out which package the destination has approved, then export. Extreme Reach's current North America guide names MXF OP1a with XDCAM HD 422 as its preferred package for 1920 x 1080, 23.98p material. It also accepts defined QuickTime ProRes 422 HQ and MP4 AVC options and lists specific HD alternatives. 1 Your broadcaster or platform could specify something else entirely.
| Delivery decision | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Container and codec | Exact wrapper, codec, profile, chroma, and bitrate | An accepted codec in the wrong wrapper can fail validation. |
| Raster and scan | Resolution, pixel aspect ratio, progressive or interlaced scan, and field order where relevant | A mismatch can create motion or conformance issues. |
| Frame rate | Native timeline rate and requested delivery rate | Avoid a late conversion unless the recipient requires it. |
| Video levels and graphics | Recipient's level limits and title-safe guidance | Over-range picture or clipped required text can fail QC. |
| Version identity | Final duration, title, Ad-ID or code, and version label | The traffic record and file metadata must agree. |
OP1a is defined by the Library of Congress as an MXF operational pattern that translates to "Single Item, Single Package". They document its SMPTE basis. 4 Keep a copy of your edit-quality master separate from the transmission file. Yes, the recipient still chooses which profile it will accept.
Lay out the slate and active content frame by frame
Learn to time the head of your file to the specifications given, not from instinct. As one current example, Extreme Reach wants a five-second slate followed by two seconds of black and then the ad. Their guide explains that active audio and video start at frame 168 for 23.98 fps or frame 210 for 29.97 fps, with the first frame counted as frame zero. 1
Slates required for that portal include the Ad-ID, advertiser, title, and duration, and the slate plus black is mute. Other destinations may have a different clock, active start, audio tone or tail treatment.
Head-and-tail check
- Verify slate information exactly matches traffic order and embedded metadata, character for character.
- Number starting with frame 1 at the requested frame rate using requested frame numbering convention.
- Review first active picture frame and first active audio frame in tandem.
- Confirm the final active frame and specified tail treatment, if any.
- Double check following final encode. Don't assume export maintained timeline layout.
Measure loudness, true peak, and channel order
Measure your finished master. Don't calibrate to some number you remember from a different platform. In the United States, FCC CALM Act rules require TV stations, cable operators, satellite TV providers and other multichannel video programming distributors to apply ATSC A/85 to commercials they transmit. Per FCC rules, the CALM Act applies only to commercials aired on television, not radio, internet, or streaming ads. 2
Note that ATSC's current A/85 recommended practice, approved July 8, 2026, provides guidance to broadcasters, streaming-media service providers and television-audio creators to address issues related to measurement, production and post-production monitoring, loudness control, audio metadata, and dynamic-range control. 5 Note it does not over-ride any delivery values expected by the recipient.
In our Extreme Reach example above, the target is -24 LKFS and true peak must remain below -2 dBTP. The portal recommends keeping true peak below -6 dBTP to minimize possible rejects by TV and digital destinations. 1 However, use those figures only if your destination has confirmed those are their requirements.
| Audio check | Final question |
|---|---|
| Integrated loudness | Was the completed delivery file measured using the destination's stated method? |
| True peak | Is the maximum within the recipient's limit, including any requested margin? |
| Channel layout | Are channels in the exact order required for stereo, surround, audio description, or SAP? |
| Sync and phase | Do the first and last active frames stay in sync, and does the stereo mix remain intelligible in mono? |
| Report | Can the traffic or QC team read the result without opening the NLE project? |
Save your loudness report along with your delivery record. The loudness report will help document that you measured your master, as opposed to how you intended to mix it.
Treat captions as a separate QC pass
If your video contains captions, review them against the final encoded master. FCC rules for television captioning can be found in 47 CFR section 79.1. The FCC's television-captioning guidance says captions should be accurate, synchronous, complete, and properly placed, subject to the applicable rules and exemptions. 6 Once again, the recipient still defines how they want you to manage the delivery workflow.
Extreme Reach accepts embedded caption data or a sidecar file. Their current North American requirements note CEA-608 is required, CEA-708 is recommended and MXF OP1a supports both. The portal also notes spots intended for Canadian broadcast must contain closed captions. 7
Execute this pass after the final master is available.
- Verify that the receiver prefers embedded captions, sidecar caption file, or both.
- Validate first and last caption against final active content. Do not use an earlier export for review.
- Proof spelling, timing, line breaks, legal copy, placement around logos.
- Verify caption language, status, caption file name match to traffic metadata.
- Deliver caption asset formatted as specified and at frame rate specified by destination.
Don't consider burned-in subs as replacements for requested closed-caption tracks. They are two separate deliverables unless the recipient has specifically asked for open captions.
Run the final broadcast delivery checklist
Assign final QC an owner and a protected window for review. Just because a master looks good in the edit bay doesn't mean it doesn't need a destination-specific QC pass.
- Read your current spec and traffic order again. Double check your destination, version, territory, duration, format, audio, captions, and any specific metadata requested.
- Validate the file. Double check that your container, codec, profile, raster, frame rate, scan, audio codec, sample rate, bit depth and channel order match what was requested.
- Watch head and tail frame by frame. Ensure slate/mute black, first frame of active picture, last frame of active picture and required tail treatment are correct.
- QC picture. Check for legal video levels if required, proper graphic placement, flash frames, field order, artifacts and frame accurate duration.
- Sound it out. Capture the integrated loudness and true-peak report from the deliverable file itself.
- Check the captions. Proof timing, spelling, readability, file link, and embedded/embed sidecar behavior.
- Line up the paperwork. Slate, metadata, caption file and traffic order should all match on filename, Ad-ID/code, title, duration and version.
- Upload and confirm. Deliver via the recipient's approved upload method. If your workflow includes checksums, save the checksum and upload receipt with the QC report.
Fix the failed layer, not the whole master
Pair the fix with the failed layer. Picture issues, metadata, audio, caption and wrapper errors require unique solutions. Preserve the rejected file and validator report before creating the fix.
| QC finding | First place to investigate | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Wrapper or codec mismatch | Export preset, package profile, and recipient's accepted-format table | Rebuilding the mix or captions before confirming the file profile |
| Slate or start-frame mismatch | Timeline head, sequence start, and exported frame count | Moving picture content without checking the requested active start |
| Loudness or true-peak failure | Final mix, limiter behavior, and measurement report | Adjusting gain by ear without remeasuring the completed file |
| Caption rejection | Caption format, timing, status metadata, and encoded playback | Resending the same sidecar without testing it against final picture |
| Metadata mismatch | Traffic order, slate, filename, embedded fields, and version log | Renaming only one asset and creating a split identity |
If available, capture the portal rejection code with the revision documentation. Over time, that data can evolve into a useful checklist for future exchanges.
Plan delivery before production begins
Plan your delivery decision ahead of time, ideally before you set up your cameras. Decide where your video will land, what versions are needed, if different aspect ratios or captions are required, and if multiple regions will use the spots, before making any graphics or finishing decisions. Why Camera Originals, Edit Masters and Delivery Files All Look Different outlines how your video deliverable formats are used throughout the process.
Coordinate post-production services through Kinter Media by searching editing, color grading, motion graphics, sound design or special effects. When beginning a project that requires broadcast delivery, first send over the recipient's approved specification, intended versions and handoff record so your team can scope to the video's destination.
Sources
- Extreme Reach, "North America Broadcast Specifications and Requirements", accessed September 20, 2026.
- Federal Communications Commission, "Sound Volume Requirements for Commercials (CALM Act)", updated December 20, 2022; accessed September 20, 2026.
- Advanced Media Workflow Association, "AS-11: Media Contribution File Formats", accessed September 20, 2026.
- Library of Congress, "MXF File, OP1a, MPEG-2 in Generic Container", updated May 28, 2025; accessed September 20, 2026.
- Advanced Television Systems Committee, "A/85, Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television", approved July 8, 2026; accessed September 20, 2026.
- Federal Communications Commission, "Closed Captioning of Video Programming on Television", accessed September 20, 2026.
- Extreme Reach, "North American Closed Captioning Requirements", accessed September 20, 2026.
FAQ
Is MXF OP1a required for every broadcast delivery?
No. Extreme Reach includes MXF OP1a as its preferred format, but each recipient can specify a different accepted package. Check with the client on their current delivery requirements.
Is -24 LKFS the right target for streaming ads?
Not necessarily. According to the FCC, the CALM Act only applies to television commercials, those delivered online or via streaming platforms are not subject to those rules. Double-check the loudness standards and file specifications for each platform.
What should a commercial slate include?
Follow the slate template provided by the recipient. Extreme Reach includes Ad-ID, advertiser, title and duration of the spot, then two seconds of black with audio muted. Another client's spec might ask for something different.
Do I need captions for a North American broadcast spot?
They can, depending on where and how the spot will air. Extreme Reach mentions that any spot going to Canadian broadcast will need to include closed captions. Double check with your recipient on technical and accessibility instructions for every order.
What should I archive after delivery?
Keep the approved master, delivery file, caption asset, loudness report, traffic order, recipient specification, upload confirmation, and version log.